Adjustable solar power generation apparatus

ABSTRACT

An adjustable solar power generation apparatus includes a solar power generation unit, a base, and a supporting bar supporting the base. The base accommodates the solar power generation unit. The supporting bar supports the base. The solar power generation unit includes a fixed lens unit and a solar cell. The fixed lens unit includes a converging lens to converge sunlight. The solar cell is located in the fixed lens unit, and is capable of moving toward or away from the converging lens to adjust the light intensity received by the solar cell.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to generation apparatus utilizing solarpower, especially relating to an adjustable solar power generationapparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

Many solar power generation apparatus are equipped with a solar tracksystem to follow the changing of solar position throughout the day tomaximize receiving of solar radiation. However, the light intensityreceived by the solar cells will still fluctuate during the day.Therefore, the solar cells will age quickly, and the power output willfluctuate, influencing the stability of the apparatus. If such solarpower generation is equipped with a zooming converged lens assembly toconverge sunlight at different location and adjust the light intensityreceived by the solar cells, it will complicate the control process ofthe solar power generation apparatus.

What is needed, therefore, is an adjustable solar power generationapparatus that will overcome the afore mentioned shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present adjustable solar power generation apparatuscan be better understood with reference to the following drawings. Thecomponents in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the present adjustable solar power generation apparatus. Moreover, inthe drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an adjustable solar power generationapparatus of a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view about a solar power generation unitand the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the solar power generation unit of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but shows the solar power generation unitfrom an opposite view.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an adjustable solar power generationapparatus of a second exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an adjustable solar power generationapparatus 100 provided by a first exemplary embodiment includes a solarpower generation unit 300, a cover 50, a base 20, and a supporting bar80. The supporting bar 80 supports the base 20. The supporting bar 80 iscapable of rotating according to the location of the sun. The base 20accommodates the solar power generation unit 300. The cover 50 islocated in front of the solar power generation unit 300. The cover 50and the base 20 may be omitted.

Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 4, the solar power generation unit 300includes a fixed lens unit 10, a movable barrel 120, a solar cell 30,and a drive unit 40.

The fixed lens unit 10 has a fixed focal length. The fixed lens unit 10includes a fixed barrel 101, a rim 1012 surrounding the fixed barrel 101at one end, and a converging lens 102. The fixed barrel 101 does notmove relative to the movable barrel 120. The converging lens 102 isplaced at an opposite end of the fixed barrel 101 to receive sunlight.The converging lens 102 is a plano-convex lens or other converging lens.In one embodiment, the converging lens 102 is coated with a layer ofanti-reflective film (not shown). The fixed barrel 101 has threads 1010in its inner wall. There may be a lens assembly located in the fixedbarrel 101 according to need.

The movable barrel 120 has an inner bottom surface 1201 and an oppositeouter bottom surface 1202. The solar cell 30 is placed at the innerbottom surface 1201. The movable barrel 120 has threads 1203 in itsouter wall. The movable barrel 120 has a smaller diameter than the fixedbarrel 101. The movable barrel 120 is located inside and threadlyengaged with the fixed barrel 101. The solar cell 30 receives sunlightpassing through the converging lens 102 and generates electricity. Theelectricity is stored by a battery (not shown) and is received via awire 503. There may be more solar cells or a solar panel located in themovable barrel 120 according to need.

The drive unit 40 is located outside the movable barrel 120 to move themovable barrel 120 forward or backward in reference to the converginglens 102 for adjusting a light intensity and a light receiving area ofthe solar cell 30. For example, the drive unit 40 includes a connectingrod 14 and a stepper motor 16. The connecting rod 14 connects the fixedbarrel 101 and the stepper motor 16. The stepper motor 16 is powered bya power source (not shown). The drive unit 40 may also drive the solarcell 30 directly in other embodiment.

The base 20 has a top surface 201. A central area of the top surface 201sinks inwards to define a recess 200, the rim 1012 of the fixed barrel101 contacts with the top surface 201. The drive unit 40 is located atthe bottom of the recess 200. The movable barrel 120 is capable ofmoving within the recess 200.

The cover 50 is made of glass. The cover 50 is located over the fixedlens unit 10 to protect the fixed lens unit 10 from rain when theoptical axis of the converging lens 102 is perpendicular to the groundwhen it is rainy. The cover 50 includes a light receiving surface 500.The light receiving surface 500 may be coated with an anti-reflectivelayer 501 to increase the sunlight transmission intensity.

The solar power generation unit 300 is capable of adjusting the distancebetween the solar cell 30 and the converging lens 102. In thisembodiment, the converging lens 102 or a similar converging lensassembly has a definite focal length. Assuming the incident light fluxis definite, when the incident light is focused at a small area of thesolar cell 30, the light intensity for the solar cell 30 will be high,then the drive unit 40 will drive the movable barrel 120 away from thefocal plane, thus the converged incident light will fall on a biggerarea than before, therefore the light intensity will drop. In this way,the light intensity received by the solar cell 30 is adjusted to bestable, and the power output will be stable and the solar cell 30 has alonger working life. In some embodiments, known methods may be employedto sense the light intensity received by the solar cell 30 to help thedrive unit 40 decide if it is necessary to move the movable barrel 120.

Referring to FIG. 5, an adjustable solar power generation apparatus 700of a second exemplary embodiment further includes a light-concentratingreflector 60 as well as the solar power generation unit 300, the cover50, and the base 20. The light-concentrating reflector 60 is locatedopposite the solar power generation unit 300. The light-concentratingreflector 60 includes a reflective surface 600 for reflecting thesunlight to the solar power generation unit 300 and a rim 601surrounding the reflective surface 600. The reflective surface 600 is ofconcave curvature. The solar power generation unit 300 is located at thefocal point of the reflective surface 600 to receive the sunlightconverged by the light-concentrating reflector 60.

The adjustable solar power generation apparatus 700 includes aconnecting unit 504 to connect the rim 601 and the cover 50, or connectthe rim 601 and the base 20 as a whole. The connecting unit 504 includesthree straight bars in this embodiment.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are intended toillustrate rather than limit the disclosure. Variations may be made tothe embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construedbroadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure.

1. An adjustable solar power generation apparatus, comprising: a solarpower generation unit comprising: a fixed lens unit comprising aconverging lens configured for converging sunlight; a solar cell locatedinside the fixed lens unit for receiving the converged sunlight, thesolar cell being movable toward or away from the converging lens toadjust a light intensity of the converged sunlight received by the solarcell; a base accommodating the solar power generation unit; and asupporting bar supporting the base.
 2. The adjustable solar powergeneration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive unitconfigured to move the solar cell toward or away from the converginglens, the drive unit located inside the base.
 3. The adjustable solarpower generation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solar powergeneration unit further comprises a movable barrel, the solar celllocated in the movable barrel, wherein the movable barrel is movabletoward or away from the converging lens.
 4. The adjustable solar powergeneration apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a drive unitconfigured to move the movable barrel, the drive unit located inside thebase.
 5. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 4,wherein the drive unit comprises a connecting rod and a stepper motor,wherein the connecting rod connects the stepper motor and the movablebarrel.
 6. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 3,wherein the fixed lens unit further comprises a fixed barrel, whereinthe movable barrel is threadedly engaged with the fixed barrel.
 7. Theadjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the basecomprises a top surface and a recess defined in the top surface with themovable barrel received therein, and the fixed barrel contacts the topsurface.
 8. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a light-concentrating reflector for converging andreflecting the sunlight toward the converging lens.
 9. The adjustablesolar power generation apparatus of claim 8, wherein thelight-concentrating reflector comprises an inwardly curved reflectivesurface.
 10. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 9,wherein the lens is located at the focal point of the reflectivesurface.
 11. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 8,further comprising a connecting unit, the connecting unit connecting thelight-concentrating reflector and the solar power generation unit. 12.The adjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a light pervious cover disposed over the solar powergeneration unit.
 13. The adjustable solar power generation apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the light pervious cover is made of glass.
 14. Theadjustable solar power generation apparatus of claim 12, wherein thelight pervious cover comprises a light receiving surface, and ananti-reflection layer formed on the light receiving surface.